Gunnar Stålsett is the former bishop of Oslo

Diocese of Oslo

Oslo bishopric is The Church of Norway's bishopric for the municipalities of Oslo, Asker and Bærum. It is one of Norway's five traditional bishoprics and was founded around the year 1070.-History:...

, in the Church of Norway

Church of Norway

The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...

, from 1998 to 2005.

Stålsett is a graduate from MF Norwegian School of Theology

MF Norwegian School of Theology

The Norwegian School of Theology , is a private, independent, accredited Norwegian specialised university...

 in Oslo, and was awarded the qualification cand.theol.

Cand.theol.

Candidatus theologiæ , Candidata theologiæ , abbreviated cand. theol. is an academic degree with a long tradition, awarded after a six year higher education in theology in Denmark and Norway. In Norway, the title has remained after the "Quality Reform", though it is equivalent to a Master of...

 in 1961. He has worked as a minister and taught at the University of Oslo

University of Oslo

The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...

. He has also been a General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation

Lutheran World Federation

The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran churches headquartered in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. The federation was founded in the Swedish city of Lund in the aftermath of the Second World War in 1947 to coordinate the activities of the...

 and a member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee

Norwegian Nobel Committee

The Norwegian Nobel Committee awards the Nobel Peace Prize each year.Its five members are appointed by the Norwegian Parliament and roughly represent the political makeup of that body.-History:...

 until he was appointed to bishop in 1998. He stepped down from office on 28 February 2005. His predecessor was Andreas Aarflot

Andreas Aarflot

Andreas Aarflot is a Norwegian theologian and bishop emeritus in the Church of Norway.Aarflot was born in Yiyang, China where his mother and father served the Norwegian Missionary Company in the Hunan province....

, and he was succeeded in Office by Ole Christian Kvarme

Ole Christian Kvarme

Ole Christian Mælen Kvarme is the Bishop of Oslo in the Lutheran Church of Norway since 2005. As Bishop of Oslo, Kvarme is the personal prelate of the Norwegian Royal Family....

.

Stålsett has also had a political career. From 1972 to 1973, during the cabinet Korvald, he was appointed state secretary in the Ministry of Church Affairs and Education. He served as a deputy representative to the Norwegian Parliament from Oslo

Oslo

Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...

 in during the term 1977–1981, and chaired the Centre Party

Centre Party (Norway)

The Centre Party is a centrist and agrarian political party in Norway, founded in 1920. The Centre Party's policy is not based on any of the major ideologies of the 19th and 20th century, but has a focus on maintaining decentralised economic development and political decision-making.From its...

from 1977 to 1979.